Automatic driving-box lubricator.



R. MGVICAR.

AUTOMATIC DRIVING B0X LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1914.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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R. MGVIGAR.

AUTOMATIC DRIVING Box LUBRICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1914.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

THE MORRIS PETERS co.. FHOYU-UTHO WASHINGTON, u C

ROBERT MCVICAR, 0F ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC DRIVING-BOX LUBRICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed April 14, 1914. Serial No. 831,867.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, RQBERT MCVICAR, citizen ofthe United States, residing at St. Paul, county of Ramsey and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Driving-Box Lubricators; and I do declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention `relates to improvements in automatic lubricators, moreespecially adapted for use in connection with the journal boxes oflocomotive drive wheels. Lubricators of this character as heretoforeconstructed, are adapted for use in applying a cake of relatively hardlubricant to the journal of the locomotive drive wheel, through themedium of a follower which engages the bottom of the cake of lubricantand is in turn acted on by a spring under sufficient tension to forcethe follower and the cake of lubricant upwardly as fast as the lubricantis needed, in order to properly supply the journal. Above the cake oflubricant and arranged t0 conform to the curve of the journal, is aperforated or reticulated plate through which the lubricant passes insufficient quantity to supply the journal, the lubricating materialbeing melted as transmitted, resulting from the warmth developed in thejournal incident to its use. Heretofore, so far as I am aware, thisperforated plate has been formed from an integral piece of material andas a result, a single plate, in order to properly perform its function,can only be employed in connection with a journal of the same size,since, if an attempt is made to employ it with a larger or smallerjournal, the desired result will not be obtained. as the plate, notproperly conforming to the curve of the journal, cannot perform itsfunction, and in order to obtain the best results, the plate mustconform to the curve of the journal with which it is employed. Again,where a plate of this character is originally made to fit a givenjournal, the expansion and contraction incident to its use soon resultsin its becoming distorted or twisted, so to speak, out of shape to suchanextent.

that it no longer conforms to the curve of the journal, and itnecessarily fails in the proper performance of the function intended.This difficulty has been demonstrated by actual practice, and the resultis that after these perforated plates have been used for some time, itis necessary that they should be removed and hammered into shape. Thisoperation is exceedingly difficult and even when accomplished, does notproduce entirely satisfactory results.

My object is to overcome this difficulty, and to this end I employ ajointed or articulated perforated plate. I prefer that the axes of thejoints shall extend longitudinally of the plate or parallel with theaxis of the journal to which it is applied, though this plate may bejointed both longitudinally and transversely if desired. `As illustratedin the drawing, the jointing is longitudinal, though it may betransversely jointed either alone or in combination with thelongitudinal jointing, should it be found necessary or desirable so todo.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed todescribe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure l is a top plan view of my improved articulatedperforated plate. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2 2,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken through a journal and alubricator equipped with my improvement, the lubricating material beingshown in place and as initially applied, or when the cellar ispractically full. This view is shown on a much smaller scale than Figs.l and 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken through a lubricatorequipped with my improvement, the journal being indicated by dottedlines. This View is on a smaller scale than Figs. l and 2, but on alarger scale than Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a journal shownin connection with my improved reticulated plate, the parts being` shownon a different scale from any of the other views.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the cellar of a journal box of a locomotivedriver; 6 the side walls thereof; 7 the follower; S the spring acting onthe follower from below; 9 the cake of relatively hard ,lubricant and 10construction of hinge is employed. rlhe ad` jacent edges of the sections13 where'the hinges are located, are pressed slightly outwardly as shownat 14, and small plates 15 are bent around the parts 14, forming a wsort of loose clasp adapted to permit the connected parts 13 of thereticulated plate to move either inwardly or outwardly, within aconsiderable range, in order to adapt the device lfor use on journalsvof different sizes and varying within the necessary or desired range, asheretofore intimated.- By virtue of this peculiar construction wherebythe parts 14 are forced' outwardly or depressed, as indicated intheidrawing, it becomes practicable to cause the upper portions 16 ofthe hinge partsl to occupy positicns flush with the inner face of theper-v forated plate. lt is evident, however, that any other suitableconstruction for hinging or connecting the sections of the plate may beemployed, and it 'must be understood that the invention is not in anyway limited to the construction of hinge illustrated and described,vorto any other specific construction il for connecting the sections ofkthe articulated device.

As illustrated in the drawing, the perforated plate is composedv of foursections, the two edges of the adjacent sections in each i instancebeingy connected by two hinges. It

is evident, however, thatl the number of iinges, as well as theconstruction of these f hinges, may be varied as desired, or ascircumstances or judgment mayl dictate.

` this construction, it is important to prevent the over-lapping of theadjacent sections of the reticulated plate. The joints, however,

are sufiiciently loose, in the absence lof some preventative, topermitsuch over-lapping.

-r The reason for making the joints reasonablyA loose has beenheretofore explained, namely, in order to give the plate the necessaryrange of movement to cause it to conform to the curve ofjournals ofvarying size within a f considerable range. ln order to prevent theover-lapping of the sections, the adjacent edges of the vsections areeach equipped with a small angle member 17.-- These members whilepreferably integral partsof the sec` tions, may bebrazed or otherwisesuitably'- secured thereto.4 Theyar'e so arranged that thedependingflanges 1.8- of -these -niembers' will prevent the over-lappingof the plates, since each flange 18 is of sufficient length to engagethe edge of the opposite section when the latter is moved either aboveor below the adjacent section as far as the hinge will permit, hence thesections cannot by any which a hard lubricant must be used, would -.i

be absolutely useless were it not for the fact that the heat or warmthgenerated by the contact of the journal with the perforated plate issuflicient to` melt or warm the normally hard lubricant and cause thesaine to 1 fiow or spread itself over the journal as the latter rotates.Hence, ifthe reticulated plate does not conform to the contour of thejour-` nal when applied, or has become distorted by repeated expansionand contraction due to the heating and cooling resulting from alternateuse and disuse, so that there is not an uninterrupted line of contactbetween such plate and the journal over the entire contact surface ofthe latter, the lubricator will fall short of its purpose and itseffectiveness is greatly reduced.

As heretofore intimated, the object of my' present invention is toyovercome the diiiicultv heretofore experienced in making the Iperforated plate a proper fit to the surface of the journal when firstapplied, andl the further diliicultv experienced in maintaining it aproper fit tothe surface of the journal while in service, because of thedistortion constantly occurringin it, incident to expansionandcontraction due to the alternate heating and cooling of the device, inthisy class of lubricator. It is obvious that the ar# ticu-latedconstruction heretofore described will overcome these difficulties,since the flexibility in the surface of the perforated plate because ofits being articulated, more readily permits the contact surface of thelperforated plate tok conform to the contour surface of the journal.

The sectional or articulated construction of the reticulated device willprevent to a large extent, the tendency to' distortion due tothealternate heating and cooling ofthe i plate, since the smaller 4the areaof the sec-' tions, the `less the tendency to distortion due to theresult stated, and by employing, say, four sections as illustrated .inthe drawing, itis believed that the difliculty mentioned will beentirely overcome. Furthermore, my improved construction is, at thesame-time, vadapted for use v with journals. of' varying" sizes within.a considerable range; itself, 1s exceedingly 1ra- Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim is l. A journal box lubricator including aperforated plate adapted to engage the journal, and composed of a numberof sections hingedly connected for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a journal box cellar and a spring actuatedfollower therein, of a perforated plate composed of a number of jointedsections adapted to distribute the lubricant to the journal from arelatively hard cake of material located between the follower and theplate.

3. In a journal lubricator, the combination with a spring actuatedfollower arranged to act upon a cake of relatively hard lubricant toraise the latter toward the journal, of a perforated plate composed of anumber of jointed sections located between the cake of lubricant and thejournal.

4. In a journal lubricator, the combination with a spring actuatedfollower located in the cellar of a journal box, and adapted to act on acake of relatively hard lubricant, of a reticulated plate composed of anumber of jointed sections located between the cake of lubricant and thejournal, the axes of the joints connecting the plate sections extendingparallel with the axis of the journal.

5. An automatic driving box lubricator, including a perforated platecomposed of a number of jointed sections, the axes of the jointsextending parallel with the axis of the journal.

6. A journal box lubricator including a. perforated plate adapted toengage the journal, and composed of a number of sections liingedlyconnected, and equipped with means to prevent over-lapping of thesections. t

7. A journal box lubricator including a perforated plate adapted toengage the journal, and composed of a number of sections hingedlyconnected and provided with angle members to prevent over-lapping of thesections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature witnesses.

in presence of two ROBERT MGVICAR. Vitnesses:

MAZE KIRBY,

A. EBERT OBRIEN.

Copies of this paient may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissoner o! Batents,l Washington, D. C.

